ARIZONA NEWSPAPERS AND NATIONAL LOCAL MEDIA ASSOCIATIONS’ NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
payson.com
PAYSON ROUNDUP TUESDAY | MARCH 22, 2016 | PAYSON, ARIZONA
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Photos courtesy of DJ Craig
A record 28 high school softball teams converged on Payson last weekend, making the 12th Annual Gracie Haught Classic bigger than ever. The addition of lights to the two Kiwanis Fields at Rumsey Park allowed an expansion from the 20 teams participating in last year’s event, as games could now be played at night on all six fields used in the tournament. Ideal weather with clear skies and midday temperatures in the low 70s made for comfortable conditions. Payson, the defending tournament champion, went 2-2-2 for the tournament. See Sports on page 3B for more information about the tournament.
by
Keith Morris
Election day doesn’t mean what it used to for many of today’s voters. Voting early in the convenience of your home and dropping your ballot in the mail is a popular option with a growing number of Gila County residents. Others still show up to vote, but do it weeks before election day. Early voting began Feb. 24 and ended Friday. But for the traditionalists among us, election day is here for the Arizona presidential preference election. Only those who’ve declared for a party are eligible to vote in this election. For registered Democrat, Republican and Green party members, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 22. Gila County Elections Department Director Eric A. Mariscal said his office has received a THE WEATHER
volume 26, no. 26
by
Alexis Bechman
roundup staff reporter
Two Gila County Sheriff’s Office detention officers were fired last week after they reportedly had sex in the Globe Jail. On Wednesday, detectives with the Gila County Drug, Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force investigated allegations of illegal conduct between detention officers Cody Trotter, 26, and Samantha Trimble, 23, and inmates housed in the Globe Jail. Trotter and Trimble were arrested on charges of unlawful sexual conduct in a correctional facility and two counts of promoting prison contraband. Both were booked into the Gila County Jail. Trotter had worked in the jail for the past seven Trotter months and Trimble had been employed for less than three months. It is unclear how many inmates Trotter and Trimble had sexual contact and officials said because they were still investigating, they had no details to provide. Sheriff Adam Shepherd said both detention officers had clean backgrounds and there was “no indication something like this would happen.” Shepherd thanked the task force for conducting the investigation and detention staff that brought Trimble this matter to the attention of supervisors. This continues to be an active investigation and more information may be released as it becomes available.
Control Road Fire due to untended campfire Alexis Bechman
roundup staff reporter
roundup staff reporter
Outlook: Sunny with highs climbing to the upper 60s by week’s end, lows in the mid to low 30s. See 9A
Detention officers fired, arrested for having sex in jail
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Still time to vote in presidential preference election
See our ad and upcoming events on page 6B
number of phone calls from people who signed up to receive a ballot in the mail but haven’t. “There’s some who’ve called in and said, ‘I haven’t received my ballot,’” Mariscal said. “This is only for registered members of parties. They must be a registered party member. Independents are not eligible because they’re not party members.” Those who signed up to vote by mail and have not already sent their ballot in, must mail their ballots by today, or drop them off at any polling place in Gila County from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today or drop it off at the Gila County Recorder’s Office at 201 W. Frontier St. in Payson. The phone number for that office is 928-474-7198. Arizona Revised Statutes allow counties to consolidate precincts. Additionally, precincts having fewer than 300 registered voters can be conducted as “all mail precincts.” Therefore, you may, or may not, be voting at your regular polling place or you may have received a ballot in the mail. Three Gila County Precincts — Whispering Pines, Roosevelt and Sierra Ancha — are all-mail for this election. Whispering Pines voters who lost their ballot can go to the District 20 Precinct at East Verde Baptist Church, located at 11209 N. Houston Mesa Road, for a provisional replacement ballot. Roosevelt and Sierra Ancha voters who lost their ballot can go to the District 18 and 19 Precinct at Roosevelt Baptist Church, located at 18659 Highway 188 in Roosevelt, for a provisional replacement ballot. Voters may also drop off their ballots
at the replacement site. Eligible voters located in one of the “consolidated polling places” received a sample ballot, which told them where their polling place is located. Eligible voters located in an “all-mail precinct” should have received a ballot in the mail. The following is the Precinct Consolidation Plan for the 2016 presidential preference election. For “all-mail precincts,” ballot replacement sites will be available in the precinct on election day from noon to 7 p.m. to accommodate voters who need to pickup and vote a replacement ballot or for voters to drop off ballots. • District 4 — Tonto Basin Chamber of Commerce, 45675 Highway 188, Tonto Basin voters should vote here. • District 5 — Community Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Main St., Payson. Those normally voting in Payson #1 and #2 should vote here. • District 6 — Expedition Church, 302 S. Ash St., Payson. Those normally voting in Payson #3 should vote here. • District 7 — Quality Inn, 801 N. Beeline Hwy., Payson. Those normally voting in Payson #4 and #5 should vote here. • District 8 — Payson Public Library, 328 N. McLane Road, Payson. Those normally voting in Payson #6, #7 and #8 should vote here. • District 9 — Star Valley Baptist Church, 4180 E. Highway 260. Star Valley voters should vote here. See Polling places, page 5A
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75 CENTS
An unattended campfire sparked a wildfire east of Tonto Village Sunday afternoon, the first wildfire in the Hellsgate Fire District for the year, alarming residents and fire officials who say it is going to be a very dangerous wildfire season. Hellsgate Fire Chief Dave Bathke said after several weeks with no rain, the area around Rim Country is already very dry. Just after noon Sunday, someone spotted smoke in the forest several hundred yards south of the Control Road, Forest Service Road 64, west of Tonto Village near mile marker 19. The caller initially thought it was an illegal, controlled burn. Firefighters found several areas of burning brush and quite
a bit of smoke, filling the canopy with a thick, hazy layer. Working with the Forest Service, crews contained the blaze to roughly an acre. The Forest Service determined an unattended campfire was the source of the blaze. It is the first wildfire for the season and Bathke said, “It really took off.” “It is really dry out there,” he said. “We are real lucky it didn’t do more.” Crews were on scene for five hours. Bathke said the fire could have really taken off given the dry conditions, but because the area has been thinned that helped crews keep it contained. The Forest Service has cleared a wide swath of land south of the
• See Wildfire, page 5A
Contributed photo
The first wildfire in the Hellsgate Fire District for the year was the result of an untended campfire, according to authorities. Sunday’s blaze was contained to roughly an acre near Tonto Village.
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